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Proxy Protocols

TrueProxies supports two proxy protocols, each on a dedicated port.

HTTP CONNECT (Port 8080)

The HTTP CONNECT method creates a TCP tunnel through the proxy to the destination server. This is the most widely supported proxy protocol.

How it works:

  1. Your client sends a CONNECT example.com:443 request to the proxy
  2. The proxy establishes a TCP connection to the destination
  3. The proxy returns 200 Connection Established
  4. All subsequent traffic flows through the tunnel, encrypted end-to-end

Best for:

  • Web scraping and data collection
  • Browser automation (Selenium, Puppeteer, Playwright)
  • General HTTPS requests
  • Maximum compatibility with HTTP libraries

Connection string:

http://username:password@connect.trueproxies.com:8080

SOCKS5 (Port 1080)

SOCKS5 is a lower-level protocol that can proxy any TCP (and optionally UDP) traffic, not just HTTP.

How it works:

  1. Your client negotiates authentication with the SOCKS5 proxy
  2. The client requests a connection to the destination host and port
  3. The proxy establishes the connection and relays all traffic

Best for:

  • Non-HTTP protocols (FTP, SMTP, custom TCP)
  • Applications that require SOCKS5 specifically
  • When you need protocol-agnostic proxying

Connection string:

socks5://username:password@connect.trueproxies.com:1080

Comparison

FeatureHTTP CONNECTSOCKS5
Port80801080
Protocol supportHTTP/HTTPS onlyAny TCP protocol
Library supportUniversalRequires SOCKS support
PerformanceSlightly lower overheadMinimal overhead
AuthenticationBasic auth in URLSOCKS5 user/pass
Use caseWeb scraping, browsersCustom protocols, advanced use

Both protocols support

  • Country, city, and session targeting via username parameters
  • IP whitelisting as an alternative to username/password auth
  • All proxy products (residential, datacenter, ISP, mobile)
  • Concurrent connections based on your plan limits